By: Jacqueline Monterroso, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Massachusetts

As I embark on this journey as the new Director of Policy and Advocacy at Latinos for Education, I can’t help but look back on the journey that brought me here today. I grew up in a small farm-worker community in Central Florida. Throughout my entire K-12 experience, I never had a teacher who looked like me. Instead, I was often faced with doubtful teachers who made me believe I didn’t belong in the classroom. While I was lucky to have had a few teachers who believed in me, many Latino students like me were reminded daily that — as one teacher put it — “students like you belong in the fields, not the classroom.”   

With experiences like these, I thought my dream of going to college was just that, a dream. Nevertheless, I graduated with both an associate degree from my local community college and a high school diploma as Valedictorian.   

This was all because my school district had a robust early college program through which students could graduate from high school with two full years of college credits at no cost to students and families. At that time, I knew that although my parents worked long shifts and at times balanced multiple jobs, I knew there was no way we could afford a 4-year college education so I was grateful that I would at least have an associate degree.    

However, my school district also had opportunities in place to help all students apply for scholarships and financial aid.  Each high school was required to schedule time with students to complete the FAFSA application and we also had a college and career advisor who helped students with college and career planning.  

Because of the opportunities my school system provided, I was able to graduate high school with two diplomas and with full-ride scholarships to graduate with both my bachelor’s and master’s degree debt-free.  

After college, I became a kindergarten teacher, focused on creating a different experience for my students than the one I had. However, despite the joys teaching brought me, I soon realized I had to do more for my students. I had to create systemic change for them and others.   

In 2020, I made the difficult decision to exit the classroom and moved to Boston to work at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Here, I used my experience as an educator to design and strengthen statewide accountability systems for various school models to ensure all students had access to equitable, high-quality education.   

I share my experiences because as I step into my new role as Director of Policy, Massachusetts at Latinos for Education, it is important that our partners and community know that my everyday work is rooted in providing better opportunities for our students and in fighting for an equitable education system.   

I have a first-hand understanding of the many issues facing our Latino students, families, and educators because I was once that Latino student being denied opportunities, my parents were the families we now serve, and I was once that Latina educator who walked our schools’ halls. As a former Latina educator and as someone who now also serves in elected office, I bring a personal understanding of the complex issues facing our communities and a unique knowledge of the education policy needed to address these issues. To whom much is given, much is required, and I am here to work for all our students, families and educators.  

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Jacqueline Monterroso is the Massachusetts Director of Policy and Advocacy at Latinos for Education.  Jacqueline is also the first Latina ever elected in Revere, Massachusetts where she currently serves as the School Committee Vice Chair. Previously, Jacqueline served as the Accountability and Dissemination Specialist in the Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She is a former kindergarten teacher, with a bachelor’s in International Relations and Political Science and a minor in French from the University of Florida and a master’s in Education and Social Change from the University of Miami.